The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-27
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES.
Retrenchments Inaugurated Ly the Pres
emit Administration.


emit Administration.
When the Democratic party assumed
control of the affairs of the Federal
Government it was with the fuily-ex-
pressed promise that those affairs
sh ould be conducted upon IN honest
and economical basis.
Honesty and economy have been
high-sounding titles in political party
promises for years, but while the Re-
publican party remained in power
the people have in vain looked into the
records of the Government to discover
the fruits of an honest and economical
administration of its affairs.
What is the case with the present
Democratic Administration? In no
branch of the Government does an
economical management manifest it
self more quickly than in the depart
mont of internal revenue and customs,
and that the people may have some
insight into the workings of this branch
of Government service under Demo-
cratic Administration their attention
is directed TO a consideration of the
following figures taken from the rec
ords of the Treasury Department at
Washington, making comparison be-
tween the receipts from customs and
from internal revenue, and the respec-
tive cost of collecting the same under
the last year of President Arthur's Re
publican Administration and the first
two years of President Cleveianus
Democratic Administration.
The receipts from customs for the
fiscal year of 1885, the last year of
Arthur's Administration, were $685.
116, sos. 60. For the fiscal years of 1886
and 1897, the first two years of Cleve-
lands Administration, the receipts
from the same source were S194, 1884,
$500 and S217, 2S6, S93.13, respective
ly; being an increase in collections
over 1885 of $11.072, 547.40, for 1886,
and of $34, 40, 0S453 for 1887. Now
rs to the expense of collecting these
customs the records show that it cost
S6,916, 221.19 to collect 1888, 116, S08. go
in the Republican Administration of
1885, and only Sc, 49,. $500 to collect
the same amount, and 1.072, 547.40
more in 1886, and only $3.50, 67143
to collect the same amount, and $34,-
140,034.53 more in 1887, the two years
Democratic control. That is to say in
1885 the cost of collecting the customs
was 3.77 per cent, while in 1886 it was
$50 per cent. and 1887 only $40 per
cent.
An analysis of the collections of in
ternal revenue and the cost of collect
ing the same shows that the same
economy was practiced rs in the case
of the customs. The receipts from in
ternal revenue for the fiscal year 1885
were $112 1913, 725.54. For the fiscal
years 1856 and 1887 the receipts from
the same source were SIG, SO5, 1885, 4S
and $11S, S37, 301. 06, respectively; be-
ing an increase in collections over 1885
of 81. 307. 21094 for 1886. and of So
33S 575. 81 for 1887. 1t cost under the
Republican Administration in 1885, to
collect SIP, 1913, 725. 81 the sum of ST.
455, 430. p, and only 1929, 49,. % to
collect the same amount, and 81, 3O7,-
210.94 more in 1885. and only SI,O76.-
$50. 20 to collect the same amount and
Sc, 33S, 572. 80 more in 1887, the two
years of Democratic rule. In other
words, the cost of collecting the in
ternal revenue in 1885 was 3. IS per
cent, while in 1856 it was 36S per
cent, and IN 1887 only 3.45 per cent.
These figures are full of significance.
They tell of retrenchment and reform
in these branches of the Government.
They tell of party promises redeemed,
and they show the fruits of honest
government which the Demo cratic
party brings as an Offering to the peo-
ple.-Rar"isburg (Pa.) Patriot